A new use for old socks

18122013

Actually not new for us, been doing it for years, but turning old socks into mouse hammocks is still pretty novel. This is Mike thinking “yep this is why I wanted to do a PhD” as he wields the scissors.

The small stack behind him is just a few of what will be a giant array of enriched cages (nearly 100) that need to be ready for January. Mike will be investigating why environmental enrichment promotes better survivorship: is it via enhanced physical fitness, reduced stress or both? En route I hope the mice will also tell us what type of running wheel they prefer, whether stereotypers are socially normal, whether enriched mice sleep more deeply, and whether happier mice have better developed brains.